The Despicable Acts of CIA Official Morell

The evidence from the SSCI report on Benghazi coupled with recent comments by Senators McCain, Graham and Ayotte, paints a damning, disturbing picture of Mike Morrell, an intel hack who served for a short while as the Acting Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The story, which is up on FOX, is simple–Mike Morell manipulated the talking points to misrepresent what happened in Benghazi and lied to Congress when he blamed the FBI for the changes to those talking points.

The currently available information suggests that the demonstrations in Benghazi were spontaneously inspired by the protests at the US Embassy in Cairo and evolved into a direct assault against the US Consulate and subsequently its annex. There are indications that extremists participated in the violent demonstrations.

Morell’s changes are shocking and highly unusual. First, you must understand the import of the first talking point produced in the CIA’s Office of Terrorism Analysis. The key phrase is, “WE DO KNOW THAT ISLAMIC EXTREMIST WITH TIES TO AL-AQ’IDA PARTICIPATED IN THE ATTACK.”

As a former analyst, I can testify that you do not use the phrase, “WE DO KNOW” unless you have rock, solid proof. And the analysts did have such proof. They were not offering an opinion. They were stating a fact.

Morell’s intervention is almost criminal. It would be one thing to insist on making a substantive change that took out the term, “Al Qa’ida,” and replaced it with the anodyne “extremists” if there was an issue of compromising sources or methods. But there was no such issue here.

A truly damning fact from the Senate report–one highlighted today by Fox–is the email from the CIA Chief of Station in Tripoli, Libya, that was sent shortly after the attacks on 11-12 September 2012:

For example, on September 15, 2012,. the CIA’s Chief of Station in Tripoli sent to the then-Deputy Director of the ClA and others at the CIA an email that reported the attacks were “not/not an escalation ofprotests.” 116 Yet, the CIA’s January 4, 2013, Analytic Line Review downplays the importance of this email, noting, ” … as a standard practice, we do not base analysis on e-mails and other informal communications from the field because such accounts often change when formalized as disseminated intelligence reports.”

The claim that CIA analysts “do not base analysis on e-mails” is a disingenuous lie. Normally, analysts never see those emails. If they did, you can be assured they would use them as a source in the same way that analysts use missives from Ambassadors that are sent via cable. When you have information from people on the ground, in other words, eye witnesses, that is pure gold for an analyst.

It is Morell’s subsequent behavior and comments. He accompanied then UN Ambassador Susan Rice to the US Senate for a discussion/explanation to Senators Ayotte, Graham and McCain on the Benghazi talking points. Fox’s Catherine Herridge reports:

Graham said Morell blamed others for changing the talking points.

“What I found curious is that he did not accept responsibility for changing the talking points. He told me the FBI had done this. I called the FBI — they went ballistic. And I am sure somebody from the FBI called Mike Morell, but within 24 hours, his statement was changed where he admitted the CIA had done it.”

Senator Ayotte backed up Graham’s allegations.

“I was in that meeting when Susan Rice was with Director Morell when he blamed the FBI for changing those talking points, and you know then we call the FBI, the FBI goes crazy and said we didn’t change the talking points. And so you have to wonder particularly now that we know that he may have received that email the day before what was going on.”

This alone is full proof that the impetus for Morell’s changes to the talking points had nothing to do with protecting sources and methods. This was all about politics. It is a shamefully audacious move to blame the FBI for a substantive change to ensure there was no reference to Al Qa’ida.

Morell surrendered the CIA to politics. He enlisted to serve the political fortunes of Barack Obama, who had insisted just days before the attack on the US persons and facilities in Benghazi that “Osama is dead and Al Qa’ida on the run.” Turns out, that was not a truthful statement. Al Qa’ida was alive and well in Libya.

The decline of the CIA is real and implications are frightening. I chatted with an ops buddy recently, who reports that there is enormous pressure on managers to promote minorities regardless of their qualifications. If a homosexual, a woman or an ethnic minority (african, latino or asian) is not promoted, the manager must write an explanation justifying why that “minority” was not promoted. No such requirement exists for passing over a caucasian male. Guess what happens? No one in a management position, who aspires to keep moving up the ladder, is going to risk putting in writing an explanation for not promoting a minority. As a result, management ranks at CIA, both on the Analytical side of the house and the Operations side of the house, are being filled with unqualified, inexperience people because they are minorities. Having a minority label now trumps competence.

Morell’s misconduct relative to the Benghazi talking points is but the tip of the iceberg of the decline of the CIA.

Larry C. Johnson is a former analyst at the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, who moved subsequently in 1989 to the U.S. Department of State, where he served four years as the deputy director for transportation security, antiterrorism assistance training, and special operations in the State Department's Office of Counterterrorism. He left government service in October 1993 and set up a consulting business. He currently is the co-owner and CEO of BERG Associates, LLC (Business Exposure Reduction Group) and is an expert in the fields of terrorism, aviation security, and crisis and risk management, and money laundering investigations. Johnson is the founder and main author of No Quarter, a weblog that addresses issues of terrorism and intelligence and politics. NoQuarterUSA was nominated as Best Political Blog of 2008.

O/T IMO a great article by one of my favorite writers, Daniel Greenfield. Well favorite most of the time – he is way further right than I am. Still, I agree with much of what he says anyway. I never found anyone I agree with all the time even when looking in the mirror.

It does ring true to me also. I’ve always wondered if I am the only one who thinks this about the left: The true blue lefties are usually people who have some money, some access to wealth, and lives that aren’t really that hard at all. Why are they so angry.
I noticed that while I was in college. I was working 20-25 hours per week and carrying over a full load of classes, getting little sleep. I felt it a great privilege that I got that academic scholarship however. I appreciated the worth ethic and the sense of honor and my faith that were instilled in me by my very good parents. I didn’t like the Viet Nam war. I was really for the Civil Rights movement. But I wasn’t angry enough to morph that rage into the drug culture, the free sex culture, or the bra-burning angry feminist culture. I didn’t want to riot in the streets.
The ones I saw from campus who were neglecting their studies and doing that sort of thing were the ones whose parents were footing their bills and paying for their drugs (though they probably looked the other way about that). Those were the kids who knew that the consequences of their actions would be paid for by daddy, all the while they got to rail against the generation older than they.
Somehow this new group of young lefties are trying to imitate the Bill Ayers faction of the old worn-owt lefties who never got the revolution they so hoped for.
They’re pitiful people.

KenoshaMarge

I’ve often wondered why they are so damn pissed off when they seem to be winning on every front. With the media in their pocket there is no fear that most people will ever hear any message except theirs. And so many people are willing to believe their lies that it makes me sick.
Daniel Greenfield often says things that I’ve kind of felt but wasn’t smart enough or articulate enough to say.

“I had rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world,” George Washington said. Now the city named after him has become the home of a new Sun King and his empire of government workers. The farms have closed. The factories have been shut down. But the government buildings continue to rise.

Yesterday the sun set on Washington D.C. May it rise one day on a new nation whose leaders would rather be farmers than emperors.

Judicial watch has an interesting article on their attempts to get information via FOIA requests:

Judicial Watch announced today that the Obama administration was seeking to withhold key emails about the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, indicating what it terms “a continued cover-up of the deadly scandal.” The documents, released in December, include multiple emails, which are heavily redacted, about the controversial Benghazi talking points that falsely portray the attack as being the result of a spontaneous protest.

Thank you for this find. We could all help the cause sending donations to JudicialWatch dedicated to support more investigation of the Benghazi cover-up.

Something smells so bad and so wrong with every misstep Obama makes trying to hide everything he can about this entire incident. This is an outrage and obviously not as benign as they keep trying to pretend it is.

To send over obots to this website every time something breaks about Benghazi, sends the message there is far more that needs to come out.

This is not done.

Theymustbemorons

The Democratic Party, DNC, Nancy Pelosi, Michelle Obama and even POTUS et al are in serious direct marketing fundraising mode right now. If you’re still a registered Dem (I am) your mailbox is filling up with lots of fundraising mail sent to you on behalf of these organizations/people. Each mailing package is accompanied by a postage paid reply BRE “business reply envelope” ready to be returned with your generous check. In the last week alone I’ve returned five such postage paid envelopes — all empty. Makes me feel a little better every time I drop one of these empty BREs into the mailbox. Too bad it can’t bring back the people who died in the attack at Benghazi.

wylrae

Totally OT: Just read a post I received from Tea Party.org entitled “Sotomayor: Labeling Illegals as ‘Criminal is Insulting.” This was in a talk she gave at Yale. Amazing, now those who break the law (i.e., entering the country illegally) are not criminals. Darn voters better get their acts together and elect a Conservative Senate in 2014; maybe, just maybe we can begin straightening out some of the crap this administration has done. Oh, I am not excusing the Republican participation in a good amount of this nonsense.

HELENK2

think about it this way. crime is not longer crime. so there should be no punishment. want to rob a bank , go for it. counterfeit your money, go for it. refuse to pay taxes, go for it
just tell the judge a supreme court justice says breaking the law is not a crime. see how far you get with that

KenoshaMarge

Crime, as in entering this country illegally hasn’t been a crime for a long time now. Politicians beat their chests and tell us that we are a nation of laws while ignoring any law they don’t agree with. With Boehner waving the white flag every step of the way.

I remember a time when I was on staff at a community college. My very white friend and I, who both had top credentials, could never move up (we both had part-time positions) and we watched people be promoted for all kinds of affirmative action type reasons. One because of her ethnic background though she didn’t have half the experience or number of graduate classes, one (this is a good one) because she was overweight and threatened to file a lawsuit claiming prejudice against fat people, one who again didn’t have our experience or credits but she had taken one specialized course in minority literature, etc., etc., etc.
We both decided the only way we would get a full-time job elsewhere would be if we officially changed our names. Mine was going to be Keesha Lightfeather Garcia. I thought that might cover Black, Native American, and Hispanic. I have very white skin, but my very dark hair and facial features always made people mistake me for Hispanic or Native American anyway. I forgot what my fiend’s name was going to be. She had a harder time because she was so obviously white with beautiful red heir. We, of course, never did it. But it sure was tempting. The problem would be changing all our college transcripts.

MJUdall

This nation is in serious trouble.

S7teen70six

The mayor of NYC refuses to take part in the St. Patrick’s Day parade because it won’t allow gay pride people to carry sexual orientation signs. What in the hell does St. Patrick and a celebration of Ireland have to do with homos?

DianaLC

Nothing–but it’s now a good reason not to have the current governor of NYC take part in the parade. What a blessing from St. Patrick.

KenoshaMarge

Oh for a new 2014 version of St. Patrick to drive the snakes out of the USA.

S7teen70six

I’d be satisfied if he drove the current snake out of the White House.

KenoshaMarge

I was going for ALL the snakes – if you’re wishing might as well wish big. But the snake in the White House would do.

elizabethrc

Right out of the box as new mayor, DeBlasio drops the groundhog on groundhog day, screws up snow removal on the Upper East Side of NYC and now has given schools two new holidays, both of them for Muslims.
I think New Yorkers are going to quickly realize that they’ve elected a weird left winger and now they’re going to have to live with his screwball actions.

S7teen70six

I find it easy to be outraged by all of this. The mere notion that any government may choose which particular categories of human beings are preferentially qualified for positions of employment. That certain races, genders, sexual identities and religions may be assigned a preferentially lesser value. By law.

It is worth considering whether using positions of intelligence as a political tool is an act of treason. It seems directly contrary to anything American that we the people would allow our elected representatives to support the types of oppressive political actions that we fought a revolution to overthrow.

DianaLC

I agree and am also outraged at how affirmative action has morphed into this monstrosity of a policy. It has destroyed schools, other government agencies besides the CIA. There have always been obstacles that minority groups have had to overcome during our history. I admire the most those minorities who were determined to overcome them on their own, without special help from the government.

elizabethrc

If CIA managers are indeed being pressured to promote minorities, regardless of qualifications, yet another Congressional investigation needs to begin and it needs to happen soon.
Isn’t it enough that Obama became President through colossal manipulation of the public’s perception of him? Hasn’t time shown that the whole thing was a failure which we have to carry as a burden on our lives every day he is in office?
It’s a simple question, really: are we willing to allow political correctness and pure politics to take precedence over preserving and enhancing our greatness as a nation? We’re seeing America diminished pretty much across the board. I can’t understand why liberals hate America so much.

Retired_from_SPOnaj

Larry, Morrell recently retired and took a job with Beacon Global Strategies, otherwise known as “Hillary’s NSC.” This is to “park” him until Hillary wins in 2016. If the Dems control the Senate, Morrell will be appointed D/CIA and have the pleasure of taking over from John Brennan, a career rival who canned him. If the Republican control the Senate, he will likely follow the path of Brennan and Rice and go to NSC, which doesn’t require confirmation. Don’t ya just love it?

KenoshaMarge

Just one more good reason to plant a foot in Hillary’s ass and kick her to the curb. How people of good conscience can possibly think she is presidential material is beyond me. But then all the little girls who want a “woman” in the White House will vote for her just as all the AA voted for Obama because they wanted to see a black man in the Oval Office.

CIA director John Brennan told a congressional hearing Tuesday that security operators involved in Benghazi rescue efforts were required to re-sign non-disclosure agreements because the documents were being updated.

read the comments

S7teen70six

Thanks. I especially enjoyed Brennan Loves the Moors.

HELENK2

the backtrack bunch have really weakened this country. from the obamacare mess that ben laden would have loved, to the lack of experience on the safety issues that makes Putin look like a genius.
once these people are in place, can we get rid of them after the backtrack bunch is out of office, or are they so entrenched that we are not ever going to be safe due to their incompetency?

Is this obsession with minorities at the CIA still extending to the hiring process?

http://noquarterusa.net Larry Johnson

Yes.

Retired_from_SPOnaj

Absolutely. And everyone knows about it, as well. That’s why minorities who are truly qualified are looked at in askance, with people who don’t know them wondering if they got where they were on merit or because of a quota. By the way, this emphasis started under Bill Clinton’s administration, where for awhile promotion panels were awarded additional positions for every minority promoted so as not to penalize deserving caucasians. I know because I served on such panels during the Clinton administration.

Fred82

Thanks guys.

Now, what would either of you rate the CIA as an ideal place to work on a scale of 1-10?

Second, do you see this minority policy changing in the near future? If so, what would lead to its change?

Retired_from_SPOnaj

Ideal, no, but it still can be a fun place to work if you are in the right component. Unfortunately, the top pay grade for that kind of career is about GS-14, so the truly talented will select themselves out for the higher pay of the private sector just as they are reaching their peak of value to the Agency. It’s happening now.
Ironically, I think that it will be minorities themselves that lead the change back to a meritocracy, but I don’t see this as happening any time soon. Once a significant number of minorities in middle and upper management began to be held accountable for whatever their subordinates do or fail to do by minorities in top management, they will force a change to a meritocracy if for no other reason than to be able to compete against incompetent minorities. I don’t believe that I am likely to live to see that day, but I believe that it will eventually come.

Fred82

Thanks.

Now where would you say the best places to work in the CIA are?

The worst?

Retired_from_SPOnaj

The worst, in my opinion, is the Directorate of Support (D/S), which has become so politically correct that it seems to take almost a perverse pride in getting in the way of the Agency’s mission. There is at least one bright spot in D/S, Global Support (OGS), which is essentially the old Office of Logistics with a snazzy new morale-building name. Another component of DS, Mission Integration (OMI), which is the old “MG” service that bred Dusty Foggo, has possibilities, but is sorely in need of more inspired leadership. These days especially, a lot of OGS and OMI officers work right out on the pointy edge of the spear alongside the operators.
As far as the “best” is concerned, that’s difficult to say because what’s “best” for a person of analytical bent may be torture for an operations type. I am somewhat partial to the Clandestine Service, and within NCS, to the component that recruits, trains and equips career nonofficial cover officers (I’m sorry, but I can’t disclose the name of this component). NCS’s paramilitary operations component also is top notch.
Within Science & Technology, I have always been fond of technical services, the “Q branch” of the Agency that supplies the NCS with whizbang technology. Almost all of the stuff that they come up with is better than James Bond had in the movies.
To be honest, I am not particularly well informed about the analytical arm of the Agency, the Directorate of Intelligence (DI). Larry is an alumnus of the DI, but then again, so are John Brennan and Mike Morrell. I think that I’ll let Larry give you his opinion on where to work in the DI.

Deapster

What was one of former DOD Secy Wm Gates main points in his recent book?

That WH staffers, well outside the normal communications channels, were telling key admin people what to do, that would have gotten them fired in any other administration.

One needs to look outside the normal chain of command when looking for those responsible for the change in the “talking points”. From the mouth of XXXXXX to Morrell or Brennan?

Who on the WH staff also contacted these key players during that period of time. Does executive privilege prevent access to this information?

http://noquarterusa.net Larry Johnson

Robert Gates, not William. Morell was a willing, cooperative stooge.

Deapster

Changing the word “attack” to “demonstration” was duplicitous. Then Obama later referencing it only as a global “act of terror” is even more deceitful.

The web of WH deceit runs deep. This spells cover-up.

Shall we all guess the number of hours and minutes before the obots show up again? Any bets – for bit coins? (Snicker)

S7teen70six

Sometimes only Deep Purple suffices.

Sweet child in time you’ll see the line
The line that’s drawn between good and the bad
See the blind man shooting at the world
Bullets flying, taking toll
If you’ve been bad, lord I bet you have
And you’ve not been hit by flying lead
You’d better close your eyes
Bow your head
Wait for the ricochet

Just when you think that the tainting of everything in this country by politics can get no worse – it does.

And just when you think the affirmative action bullshit can get no worse – it does.

I have feared for my country for some time. Back when a WHITE man was in the Oval Office I thought the politicization of this country was dangerous. Now it’s worse.

The color of the miscreants skin has nothing to do with it. The vacuum between the ears does. The vacuum where brain cells should reside is now occupied by ideology and politics. God help us all.

0getfitnow1

I agree. I watched an old film (1954) last night – The Fearmakers. It stars Dana Andrews. Not a great film, but the point, even then was striking – groups in Washington DC not reporting public opinion but creating it for political gain.

elizabethrc

I have to wonder how such people as David Webb, Alan West, Thomas Sowell or Dr. Carson seem so absent the race hatred that appears overwhelmingly prevalent among minorities toward whites. That is the real problem with far too many of those of color in leadership positions. They bring long cherished animosities with them, and making politically correct concessions only lowers high standards and waters down job qualification. That’s just dangerous. I have to wonder what would happen to our country if we bow to this sort of pc in what we expect of our military members and leaders.

KenoshaMarge

I think we can see what is happening to our country because the media has bought into this nonsense. They help spread the sense of both resentment and entitlement in the black community, among women and with the LGBT people.
Everyone is a victim. Poor little wimmenfolkd and poor little AA who are still held in slavery and poor whatever among the LGBT community that spews as much hated as was ever spewed at them.
I worry for this country. Because the “takers” are fast outnumbering those who work so that they can take. And still the resentment grows.

elizabethrc

Isn’t it inevitable that at some point it will backfire on them? After all, their numbers, relative to the rest of America, are quite small. Granted, they are vocal enough and their messaging is so rampant that some will believe there are a lot more of them than actually exist.
When the majority rise, I suspect it will be the unleashing of 5 plus years of pent up anger and while I hope it will be a peaceful uprising, I doubt that it will and Lord help us when it happens.

DianaLC

I am hoping that this coming November will be a landslide for Republicans in the states where Democratic Senators are up for election. I want it to be a definite and overwhelming win that will give a quiet but FIRM message to the current administration that we have had enough of their garbage. And the first step I want the Congress to take after that will be forming Select Committees to investigate the DOJ, the Benghazi cover up, and the IRS targeting of certain groups. Then after the findings, if they are complete in time, I want Barky given notice that he is undergoing the impeachment process.

HELENK2

when I heard about this yesterday, it made me wonder If you and retired and pop were young enough today to join the CIA would you do so?

I was talking to a kid yesterday that is graduating from college in June. He studied criminal justice and wants to join the border patrol. I told he to watch his back from this government as well as the bad guys. I never thought I would live to say that about an American government.

My youngest grand daughter is in college studying criminal justice and I worry a lot about her future. she wants to go into the Coast Guard or DEA

http://noquarterusa.net Larry Johnson

Retired and I probably would not be hired. Too white.

HELENK2

that is one really sad realistic statement.
no longer does ability count.

JohnnyTwoDog

Nor does competence

KenoshaMarge

Nor experience. Not only sad – it is extremely dangerous.

KlugerRD

“This was all about politics”

So we know who changed the talking points.

But what motivation would Morell have to do this?

What is missing is who told him to do this and what to change it to – and how high up that goes.

http://noquarterusa.net Larry Johnson

The most likely culprit is current CIA Director, John Brennan. Brennan and Morell had regular conversations.

KlugerRD

What would be Brennan’s motivation to do it? I don;t think Brennan would do this on his own without others telling him to.

Somewhere in this had to be high level political operatives who were engaged in Obama’s re-election and maybe Obama.

If Morell is found to be having committed a crime in all this, he might give up that information as part of immunity.

KenoshaMarge

You mean as in being held accountable? Surely you jest.

Deapster

What was one of former DOD Secy Wm Gates main points in his recent book?

That WH staffers were telling key admin people what to do, that would have gotten them fired in any other administration.

One needs to look well outside the normal chain of command when looking for marching orders on this one.

KlugerRD

Who was the one who got the Chicago Trib to open up sealed divorce records twice to get Obama elected Senator?

Who was the one who thought of using the race card against Bill Clinton (and many others) to get Obama elected?

Who was the one who had the contacts in Chicago to trump up those phony affairs Cain had?

Who was the one who asked Obama if he were willing to do anything to get elected?

I always believed that David Axelrod was behind the politics of Benghazi and the politics involving the IRS and conservative groups.

I would not be surprised if all scandals lead to Axelrod.

.

sandylouwho

Axelrove and ValJar come to mind

KenoshaMarge

Should Doctor Ben Carson expect an affair he never knew he had to become public sometime in the near future?

foxyladi14

or maybe a couple of kids somewhere?

KenoshaMarge

Maybe. Some phony scandal that destroys his political chances like they did to Herman Cain.

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